Picture-hanger.



N0.7ss,44s. PATENTEDJUN'EIJZBQIQOLL 0. WINTER.

PICTURE HANGER.

APPLIODATION FILED F513. 5, mos.

N0 MODEL.

Iva-763,448.

UNITED STATES Patented June 28, 1904.

PATENT OEEIcE.

CARL WINTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO AUGUST WIEGANDT,

' OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PICTURE-HANGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 763,448, dated June 28, 1904. Application filed February 5, 1903. Serial No. 141,998. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL WINTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at. Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Device for Automatically Holding Picture -Frames at any Angle in Relation to the Wall, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates generally to picture frames or other objects adapted to hang upon walls, and refers particularly to appliances for their suspension. 7

It contemplates the provision of means for regulating the angle of inclination of a picture with the wall.

'With this and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, my invention consists in the various details of construction and in combination of parts, all as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows in side elevation my device in use upon a suspended frame, the dotted lines indicating a variation in the angle of inclination of frame. Fig. 2 is a rear View of the same. Figs. 4 and 5, respectively, are views of the members of the clasp. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the clasp, showing manner of clutching suspension-cords and indicating a portion of cord connecting clasp with lower part of frame.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, 6 refers to a clasp comprising the complementary parts 6 and 6*, each formed of a flat segmental metal disk folded over on its diameter to provide a partially-inclosed channel or groove. WVith the segmented portions uppermost and opposite, so that the open lengths of the channels are adjacent, the semicircular portions of the parts are superimposed and pivoted upon a hollow pivot or eyelet c There are thus provided two angularly-moving channels or grooves for the opposite cords or legs of the picture-cord, one pair of adjacent ends constituting jaws actuated by the tension of the oppositely-secured cord due to the weight of the picture. The hollow pivot or eyelet provides achannel 0 for the passage therethrough of a cord C, one end of which is attached to the lower horizontal framepiece. The cord may be secured to the clasp in any suitable manner,- a button C being shown. The diverging ends a? and a of the cord by which the frame is suspended enter the clasp at the lower end or that remote from the pivot, each passing through the channel adjacent to its point of attachment and emerging at the end nearer to the fulcrum. When the frame is suspended by the cord, the lower portions of the clasp, from which the ends of the cord diverge to respective points of attachment upon opposite sides of the frame, Will be drawn apart by the tension due to the weight of the picture upon the cords. In consequence the opposite ends of the clasp nearer the fulcrum and from which the cords run substantially together and parallel to the external point of suspension will be forced together, gripping the cords, the operation being similar to that of a carpenters benchclamp. It is evident that by pressing together the lower ends of the clamp the opposite ends will cease to closely engage the cords, and the clamp may be slid freely along them. The instant the lower ends are released the Weight of the picture-frame will cause the clamp to automatically eflfect the restraint of the movement of cords through it (the clamp) or of it along the cords. It Will be obvious that by altering the position of the clasp upon the cords the funicular action will be modified but always be present.

When the clamp is as low upon the suspension-cords as possible, which will be when substantially on a line connectingtheir points of attachment to the frame, there should be little or no tension upon the cord 0 and the picture will hang close to the wall. As the clamp is raised upon the cords the cord cwill at once become taut, and with increase of tension will sustain part of the frames weight in common with the diverging ends a and a of the cord below the attachment. In consequence the bottom of the picture will be drawn 

